Rogers gives up on Tom
personal plea to play at Ibrox from the Hoops playmaker and Rodgers.
Rogic and Hibs trio Martin Boyle, Jamie Maclaren and Mark Milligan have all been told to be in camp by December 27, meaning the Edinburgh stars will also miss the derby clash with Hearts next weekend.
The Aussies play a friendly with Oman on December 30, the day after Celtic face Rangers, but Rodgers said: “Tom will play in the Aberdeen game and then he’ll fly out after that and miss the Rangers game as far as I’m aware, which is a shame for him, a shame for us.
“We feel a sensible compromise could have been taken for all the players in their squad.
“It’s a shame but we’ll just have to prepare without him. He has made a personal plea but there’s been enough said about it. Our feeling is he won’t be here, he’s got to go back. We move on.”
The Hoops have shone in the absence of captain Scott Brown but in the absence of Rogic the hard- man wi l l surely feature next week.
Rodgers states that the big- game mentality of Brown is crucial and insists the midfielder could hardly have picked a better time to return.
He said: “There is no doubt that in the big games he makes the big contribution.
“That is why he has played 500-odd games.
“He is an important player for that. He came back at a good time. He was able to come in and contribute in the cup final.
“Now it is just a case of managing him through some of the games to make sure he is at game speed for this last week.”
Brendan Rodgers last night admitted defeat in his battle to keep Celtic’s Aussie talisman Tom Rogic for Saturday’s Old Firm showdown.
But he insists the rest of his big hitters will all be back for their crucial double- header with Aberdeen and Rangers.
Socceroos boss Graham Arnold has played hardball with his players’ for the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, despite a